Morgan
by SoulfullyInclined
Summary: A Morgan Story. Read after 'Shawn's Princess'. Contains cutting, drugs, etc. I don't own anyone. *Life and quality of the story depends on the reviews*. *Please Leave More Than A 2 Word Review*. *Please Review*. *Be Nice/Kind*. *Thank you for reading/reviewing*. Edited.
1. Monday Morning

I woke up and saw it was half past 7, according to the red digital numbers on my plastic black alarm clock. Luckily, I was already dressed in a black, long sleeved, V neck ribbed shirt and black skirt. I was already dressed because my room was slightly cold. I went downstairs into the small kitchen and noticed my dad had already left for work; this was nothing new. He was the manager of a grocery store which opened early in the mornings. My mom, younger siblings – 15 year old josh and 13 year old Hannah - and my older brother, 21 year old Eric, were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, which was bacon, waffles and pancakes. I only had a half hour to get to school; therefore, I didn't have time for breakfast. I started heading toward the kitchen door, which was also the back door.

"What, no breakfast Morgan?" Eric asked.

Hannah and Josh looked up with surprised looks on their faces.

"No not today Eric I don't have the time."

"Well ok."

"But breakfast is-" Hannah started to say.

"The most important meal of the day. Yes I know I know. But, like I said, I don't have time."

I went out the door, closing it behind me. My friend Sierra was standing outside, ice on her eye. Mr Feeny, our neighbor, friend and teacher, was watering his garden.

"Miss Matthews Miss Hunter, good morning," he greeted us.

"Hi Mr. Feeny," I said.

Even though I wasn't particularly up to talking I still liked Mr. Feeny; he was a good teacher, and he always tried to be friendly to his neighbors. He was the only one who called Sierra and I formally. On my good days, I liked this.

"Hi," Sierra said, without looking at him.

We started going on our way.

"Um, Miss Hunter?" Mr. Feeny said.

"Yes?" Sierra replied, as not to be rude.

"Did something happen?"

"I fell."

"Ohh. Must've been quite a, um, fall."

"Yes. It was."

"I'll see you in class."

"Ok."

We started walking on the sidewalk. I knew Sierra hadn't really fallen. I also knew she would tell me what happened when she was ready.

"I'm sorry Morgan," she apologized.

"You don't have to apologise to me. I know why you did that."

"I know, but I feel so bad, esp. if it's to Mr. Feeny. Yeah I may not always want to talk to him but he's a good person and a good teacher who actually cares about his students."

"Yeah Sierra but if you're not ready to tell him then you're not ready."

"True."

"What time did you wake up?" I asked her, in order to change the subject.

"6. You?"

"Oh. 7:30."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah I'll prolly be late. At least you had time to eat breakfast."

"No, not really."

"Oh."

Soon enough we had arrived at school, and in class. It was 8:30 by now. My teacher, Miss Rainer, handed me a pink slip.

"Morgan, Miss Shannon wants to see you," she told me.

At this rate I'd be even later to class.

I got my stuff, walked out of the room, down the hall to the stairs, down the stairs to the first floor, down the hall on the first floor and into the main office of the guidance counselor's office.

"Hi who are you here to see?" the receptionist asked me.

"Miss Shannon," I said, showing her my slip.

"She's right in there, down the hall."

"Ok."

As if I needed to know where Miss Shannon was.

I continued down the hall to the last door.

"Come in," Miss Shannon said.

I did so, closing the door behind me.

"Oh hi Morgan I wanted to see you."

"Yes, I know." _That's why I got the pink slip from my teacher this morning. That's why I'm here. You do realize I'm late to class because of this?_

"Morgan, would you mind sitting down?" the pretty, short haired, blonde woman asked.

"Yes, yes I would." Actually.

"Okkk." She could see this wasn't going to be easy.

"Morgan, it has come to my attention that you have engaging in self destructive activities."

Well duh. I already knew that. I wonder who told her…..

"Who told you?" I asked.

"Well I'm really not allowed to-"

"Who. Told. You."

"A student."

"Uh huh. Anyone I know of?"

"Well Morgan this isn't really…"

She's just wasting my time. I turned around and left.

"Morgan we're not finished!" she called after me.

But I didn't care. I was late for my next class as it was. I didn't have time to talk to her.

I made my way back up the hallways and the stairs. It was now 9. My next class was art, such a relief for my troubled mind and turbulent emotions. I remember in the book Speak she says; 'art follows lunch like a dream follows a nightmare.' But I hadn't had lunch yet, although that was true. I'm currently rereading that book despite my busy schedule.

When I arrived, class had already started but the teacher was nowhere to be found. I didn't know if we had a substitute or where they were. So it was just art, as calling something a class implies there's going to be teaching. And there wasn't any yet.

I set my heavy red backpack on the floor and sat down at the far end of the table, in a light wooden chair with metal legs. These chairs were not very comfortable. A girl across the long, rectangular, white metal table looked at me. I looked at her, thinking _give me a second to breathe a little_. I opened my backpack and took out my large sketchpad and pencils. I was very good in art, currently working on a drawing of a black winged gothic angel in a white hospital bed in a white hospital room. It was snowing all around her. Yes, quite a contrast. It was also quite a contrast to the weather outside, which was warm and sunny.

I loved art, it was just about my favourite class. We didn't usually have assignments, or homework. As long as we did some form of artwork and worked on it each time. The teacher, when he was there, was very laid back. The only 2 rules were that we had to work on something and we had to be quiet.

Art felt like breathing to me, very quiet breathing. Like water. All that mattered was you and your artwork. And the silence. The silence that stopped things for just a few hours.

"Morgan," my friend Leo whispered.

I was so absorbed in my work that I nearly jumped.

"Sorry luv didn't mean to startle you," he apologized.

I nodded, still drawing.

"Do you wanna hang out in the park during lunch?" he asked.

I nodded again.

"Ok."

I looked up; "I'll be in the auditorium after this class."

"Ok."

"I could use a cigarette."

"Yeah I know what that's like."

I continued drawing. The 2 hours seemed like only minutes when class was over. I packed up my stuff and headed towards the auditorium. The security guards were nowhere to be found. But, just to be safe, I used the back entrance, which led onto the stage. No one was in the auditorium. Well, that I could see, anyway.

I put my stuff on the light wooden stage floor, to the side of it, and sat down in the middle of it. I loved the auditorium. It was my favourite place in the entire school. People weren't allowed in there, unless you were rehearsing for a play or something. If the security guards caught you they reported you to your parents. I highly doubted my parents would notice, as they were busy with my siblings. The auditorium was so huge, so quiet. It was like being in art class, but I wasn't drawing at this current time. Oh sure people prolly knew I wasn't in class but no one had really said anything about it that I can remember.

I stretched out on the stage, my head on my hands, and listened to the silence.


	2. Leo

It was now lunchtime. I was outside the large, redbrick school, heading across the wide, green front lawn to the green park across the street which you had to get to by going across the lawn. The weather hadn't changed.

"Hey Morgan," Leo called, spotting me.

I smiled in the warm sunlight. Leo walked over to me and handed me a packet of 6 Oreos. It wasn't much but it was still food. Leo and I aren't dating we just happen to be really good friends.

"Thanks," I said; "oh and hi."

"You're welcome. I know it's not much. Hi."

"But it's still food."

"Yeah well, I figured you wanted some. You looked pretty hungry at art earlier this morning."

"Yeah, I was. I overslept so I didn't have time for breakfast, which, obviously I missed."

"Morgan, you know that-"

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yes I know I know. That's the same thing Hannah said to me this morning."

"She's right even if she _is_ only 13."

"Yeah, well," I said, meaning it is how it is.

"You wanna go get coffee or something?"

"Yeah sure."

"I'll pay."

"Oh Leo you don't have to do that."

"Well, do _you_ want to?" he countered.

"Well no, not really."

"I figured as much. Ok so I'll pay."

"Ok then."

By that time, we were across the street. We spotted several of our friends, lounging on the grass in the sunlight in the park. Most of them had red hair. All were females.

"Morgan, Leo, over here!" Clover called.

"We're going to get some coffee we'll be back later."

"Ok."

We began walking in the park, away from our friends and the school. The only way to get to the coffee shop from the school was through the park.

"God I luv this park," I said.

Leo smiled; "I know. As do I."

"It's so big," I commented.

Leo giggled.

"And the lake and the river and the trees and oh god just everything about it."

"Wow."

I turned and looked at him: "what?"

"Seems like you're in a much better mood."

"Well, going outside can do that to a person."

"I know."

We were about halfway across the grass at this point.

"And I luv how a person could hide inside the pine trees if they wanted to. And how you can literally sprawl in that giant tree over by the lake. I luv that tree."

"Yeah I know which one you're talking about."

"And how, on days like this, you could fall asleep in the park."

Leo looked at me, smiling. I looked at him.

"You really are nature girl aren't you?" he asked.

"Well it's fukin incredible Leo my god!"

"That's one thing I've always loved about you Morgan, is how much you love nature."

I smiled and looked downwards at my black lace up boots, white spots on them from the sunlight.

"So um," I said, in an effort to change the subject; "how was your morning?"

"Um ok. If you want, I have some muffins from my mom in my locker, for when we get back to school. I have orange, peach, apple-cinnamon and blueberry."

"Wow that sounds nice."

"Oh, any time."

Pause.

His mom rosemary makes wonderful bread.

"I had English, anatomy and chemistry this morning as well as art," Leo continued.

"Oh. How'd the other class go?"

"Ok. Chemistry is boring, as to be expected."

"Yeah."

"In English we're reading Oliver Twist."

"Oh another Dickens novel."

"Yeah she wants us to get through all of them by the end of the term."

"Good luck with that."

"They're really boring, slow moving."

"Well, Leo, that's all they did in those days. They had nothing else to do."

"That sounds boring."

"Yeah it does."

"Anatomy is actually quite interesting."

"Oh?" I asked.

"Yes. Right now we're studying the heart."

"Oh that _does_ sound interesting."

"Oh it is."

Leo pulled a black lighter and a small cardboard cigarette pack out of his pocket. He offered the box to me; "want one?"

He knew it was my choice to say yes or no. he'd respect whatever choice I made.

"Yeah sure," I replied, taking a cigarette, popping it in my mouth and lighting it with his lighter, then giving the lighter back to him so he could have one.

"So how's your mom?" I asked, once we were both smoking.

"She's good she's good. Still a receptionist at the hospital that hasn't changed."

"Some things never do"

"Yeah."

We were now across the street.

"And how's your mom?" he asked.

"Eh idinnoo. Busy, I guess."

"Too busy for you to tell?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

We were now on the gray cement sidewalk. Soon enough, we arrived at the coffee shop. I had a muffin and some tea and Leo had black coffee.


	3. It Was Morning And I Had Survived

**Tuesday**

* * *

It was now 5 a.m. on the morning of the next day, Tuesday morning. I was in the white rectangular bathtub, sitting in the hot foggy water. I needed it, desperately. A small, thin, silver razor blade was on the edge of the bathtub. The white wooden door was closed and locked and everyone in the house, except my dad, was asleep. My dad was already at the store. The steam rose around me in the white bathroom, fogging up the silver metal mirrors of which I was terrified. What if it's that story in Alice In Wonderland? What if it's not just a story? What if nothing's just a story?

I ran through the events of the past few hours in my head as I leaned back into the water. My permanent black hair dye didn't come out; it never did. My hair floated up and around me in the bath water as I went under. My black nails needed to be painted again. Everything was silent and time lasted forever.

Yesterday had been alrite, pretty quiet though. Nothing much happened during the day. At night, Leo and I went clubbing. A few hours afterwards, Eric caught me, drinkin and smoking. He drove me home. Luckily, I wasn't drunk.

We had a huge fight. Eric said he wouldn't tell Mom or Dad. Even though I was still angry with him I knew he had a point; would I rather have him find out, or Mom or Dad? I knew he couldn't punish me, he didn't have the authority too. Mom and Dad did. In a way, I was glad he caught me, for that reason. And, even though Eric was angry, he was also probably glad I was with a good friend. Leo wouldn't let anything happen to me. I knew someone else who wouldn't; Shawn Hunter, my brother Cory's best friend. He was a really nice guy once you got to know him. Er……well, _if_ anything did happen to me, I knew what Leo and Shawn would do to the guy.

I slowly came out of the water a bit, just enough to reach the razor blade. I came up out of the water a bit more so I could sit up. Then, I put my wrist under water and started cutting. I wasn't suicidal I just wanted to cut, to bleed my emotions out.

After I was done, I let the blade slowly fall, sink to the bottom of the tub, staining the warm bath water as did the blood from my wrist, looking like red food colouring. I then started crying, trying to be as quiet as I possibly could.

A few minutes later I heard a light knock on the door.

"Morgan?" my mom asked. "Morgan, honey?"

I sucked in my breath, partially from the pain and partially cuz I didn't want to be caught, and managed to stop crying for a few seconds.

"Morgan?" my mom repeated.

I said nothing.

"Are you alrite in there?"

I still said nothing.

"I'm going to go get Eric."

I heard my mom leave. It surprised me that she actually cared. But, I guess surprising things can happen when you're in the state of mind I was. I let out the breath I had been holding.

I heard another knock, this one heavier because, being a guy, Eric had bigger hands than my mom and I did.

"Hey Morgan?" I heard Eric say.

I looked towards the door, knowing he couldn't see me, but also letting him know somehow that I knew he was there.

"Morgan um Mom sent me up here," he continued.

I realized how odd it was to talk to someone through a door. I almost smiled at this because it didn't make any sense. Nothing seemed to these days.

"Morgan…………." Eric said, not sure if I was listening or not. I thought the fact that I hadn't said anything implied that I was. But for all he knew I could've been underwater.

"Morgan, listen," Eric began; "I…………I'm sorry about earlier, this morning. It was just one of those in-the-moment things. Anyway I hope you're ok. Are you? No, of course not. That's a stupid question," he concluded. "well…….I hope you're not still angry with me. I just, well………..please, be careful. Breakfast is ready, if you want some. Or I could even bring some up here. If you don't mind, I'm going to call Leo. Or, you can call him. Or tell him yourself. I'll give you that option."

A tear rolled down my cheek at his kindness.

Eric paused; "Morgan…………..are you ok?"

I took a shaky deep breath; "I," I said, then realized how quiet I was; "I……I will be."

"Ok," Eric said, then, again, softer; "ok."

He left.

I got out of the tub, dried myself off, dripping from my wrist onto the white tile floor the entire way to the white sink. I opened the silver mirrored door of the small med cabinet, got a gauze roll out and wrapped it around my wrist. I then put my black robe on. Even if it was dark, black, the colour of death, I was glad to have it to wrap around me.

I then walked out of the bathroom and down the maroon carpeted hall to my room, passing Eric's on the way. I stood at his doorway for a minute until he looked up and noticed me.

"Hi," I said timidly.

"Hey Morgan," he said.

"Um the bathroom I…………it's kind of a mess and I don't want mom and dad finding out. Could you?"

"Yeah sure."

"Thanks."

"Uh huh."

"I'll tell Leo, by the way."

"Ok."

I continued down the hall to my room. It was morning, and I had survived.


	4. Tuesday: Fragility

"On December 7, 1941, World War II began. Not since 1914 had a war this influential shocked the world," Mr. Feeny was saying.

It was 8 a.m. and we were in U.S. history. I was unbearably tired; not just physically but emotionally as well. All I wanted was to go to sleep. I tried my hardest not to. I needed a rest 'a genuine rest', to quite Val, the nurse played by Whoopi Goldberg, in the movie Girl, Interrupted. Or, in my case, life, interrupted.

As much as I tried not to, I'd fallen asleep by the end of class. In school no less but I was too tired to care.

"Miss Matthews," Mr. Feeny said, waking me up.

I opened my eyes, blinked and sat up.

"Huh?" was my response: "I mean, exscuse me? Er, yes?"

"I believe you fell asleep."

"I I'm sorry Mr. Feeny. What time is it?"

"It's nearly lunch time."

"Oh no I missed the rest of my classes! I better go and explain and-"

Mr. Feeny came out from behind his wooden desk. No one else was in the room.

"Miss Matthews it's fine. It's alrite. Normally I wouldn't allow this kind of behaviour but I know that there's something going on. You've such a strong work ethic that it's hard not to notice. I won't push you to talk I know that's the last thing you want right now. But…" he indicated my gauze-wrapped wrist.

I was now more awake, but still tired. Rested, I think you would call it.

"I I'm sorry," I apologized for lack of something better to do, to say.

"It's alrite. It's not the first time I've seen something like this, in all my many years of teaching. A dear dear friend of mine lost her life to suicide."

"But I'm not-"

"I know you didn't try to kill yourself, Morgan. Unlike most, I know the difference. Another friend of mine dropped out of school because of her inner turmoil. I don't want to see that happening to you. I care about you. i'm not going to tell anyone unless you give me permission. Though I imagine some already know."

"Yes. Eric does, and he has the same approach as you."

"Ah. He's a wonderful person. Good to talk to."

"Yes, he is."

"And, Leo knows, of course."

"Of course. It's wonderful to see two people be as good friends as you two are."

He paused; "Miss Matthews, I know you're falling apart."

I wasn't sure what to say. Mr. Feeny sensed my hesitation; "it's alrite I don't expect you to say anything right now."

Another pause; "as it's lunchtime how would you like some tea?"

"Yes that would be lovely."

We left the classroom and went into the small teacher's lounge. Teachers were coming in and out.

"George I need to talk with you about an upcoming test," Mr. Turner, my English teacher, said when we arrived.

He was getting water out of the water cooler.

Mr. Feeny held up his hand; "not right now Johnathon I've more important matters to attend to."

Mr. Turner backed away a few steps; "alrite."

Mr. Feeny pulled out a dark blue plastic chair from where it was pushed against the long rectangular gray wood table.

"Miss Matthews, sit down," he told me.

I did so, and waited while he prepared the tea.

My brother Cory's best friend Shawn came in; "Hi Mr. Feeny,"

Cory and Shawn were both 19.

"Ah Mr. Hunter hello."

"Shawn, what can we do for you?" Mr. Turner asked.

"Well actually, I'm here to see Mr. Feeny."

"Can it wait?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

"It's just that I'm with Miss Matthews right now."

Shawn spotted me and smiled; "oh Morgan hey."

He pulled out another dark blue plastic chair and sat next to me.

"How are ya?" he said.

I sighed, my bandaged wrist in my lap. Shawn noticed.

"Oh Morgan," he said.

"I…..I guess this pretty much explains how I am."

I was going to swear but there was a teacher in the room.

"Yes. Yes it does."

"It, it wasn't a suicide attempt, if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm not I wasn't I know the difference."

"Ok. I just…."

"It's ok, you don't have to explain anything."

Mr. Feeny set the tea in front of me on the table; "Mr. Hunter, would you like anything? Coffee, tea?"

I smiled, because he sounded like an airline stewardess.

Shawn looked up at Mr. Feeny; "um coffee. Black."

"Alrite."

Shawn looked at me; "you don't have to tell me anything right now."

"Ok."

Mr. Feeny turned to Mr. Turner; "Johnathon, could you exscuse us?"

"Oh, sure."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll talk to you later then?"

"Yes."

Mr. Turner left, closing the tall wooden door behind him as he did so.

Shawn's coffee had finished brewing. He stood up to get it.

"I'll get it."

Mr. Feeny put up his hand; "no."

Shawn sat back down.

"You'll want to sit down for this."

We were both already sitting.

Mr. Feeny poured the coffee, and brought the cup and some tea over to the table for himself. He set the coffee cup down in front of Shawn, and went around and sat down at the other side of the table, across from us.

"Thanks," Shawn said.

Mr. Feeny nodded.

"Miss Matthews, Mr. Hunter," he told us.

It was quiet, the clock was ticking.

"Yes?" I said.

"I'm afraid I've some bad news."


	5. The News

We waited, while the clock ticked away the minutes of anticipation.

"It appears, Miss Matthews, that your good friend Mr. O'Dell," Mr. Feeny began.

"Leo," I corrected him.

"Exscuse me?"

"Oh right. It appears that he uh……….well this isn't easy to say but he……..well he's in the hospital miss Matthews."

I gasped; "omygod."

Shawn was a bit calmer.

"Do you know what happened?" he asked Mr. Feeny.

"Well he…….he had quite an overdose, of drugs."

Oh god.

I stood up; "we have to go see him!" I said.

"Morgan I really don't think-

Shawn started to say.

"I'll drive you," Mr. Feeny told us; "I'll also exscuse you from your afternoon classes."


	6. Hospital

When we got to the hospital we approached the front desk.

"Hello," Mr. Feeny said to the receptionist.

She looked up from her paper work.

"Hi what can I do for you?" she asked.

"We're here to see Mr. O'Dell," Mr. Feeny replied.

"Leo?" the receptionist asked.

Mr. feeny nodded.

"Yeah," Shawn said.

"Ok he's in room 304," she replied.

"Thank you."

"Uh huh."

She went back to her paper work.

We walked on the shiny white tile floor to the silver elevators, which we took up to the 3rd floor. The doors opened and we stepped out. We walked to the front desk and asked the receptionist there where room 304 was. She told us it was down the hall and to our left.


	7. 3rd Floor, Leo & Rosemary

When we entered the hospital room we saw Leo's mom Rosemary sitting by the hospital bed in which Leo was lying.

"Omygod omygod!" I said, rushing over to them.

Rosemary looked up.

"Is he ok?"

"Hello dear," Rosemary said looking at me.

"Hi."

"He's sleeping right now. They gave him meds."

"Oh, so they gave him drugs _after_ he had a drug overdose? A lot of sense that makes."

"Morgan, I know you're upset," Rosemary began but was cut off by me.

"Upset, upset? Of course I'm upset he was, _is_," I corrected myself; "my friend."

"Yes, I know. And he's my son."

"Oh. Do they know how long he'll be in here?"

"No, but my best guess is at least a week."

"Oh."

I sat down in a chair.

"I'm so sorry," Shawn said, crossing the room to us.

"Thank you. And you are?" Rosemary asked Shawn, looking up at him.

"Oh wow where are my manners? This is-" I began.

"I'm Shawn, a friend of Morgan's older brother, Cory."

"I'm Rosemary, mother of Morgan's friend Leo. This, is Leo."

"I figured as much."

Mr. Feeny crossed the room.

"Rosemary, hello," he said.

She smiled.

"Hi George," she replied.

"You 2 know each other?" I asked, looking at the 2 of them.

Rosemary smiled, again; "yes, George - Mr. Feeny, rather. Feels odd saying that - he's a friend of my parents'."

"Oh."

"Yes. I've known them for many years."

"Would you like some bread?"

I smiled. Even in the midst of all that had happened, Rosemary still remembered to bring her bread.

I turned to Shawn; "Rosemary makes the most wonderful bread."

"Hey, I believe you. And sure, I'll have some," he said.

Rosemary dug into her purse.

"What exactly happened?" Mr. feeny asked.

"idinno. Someone found him and brought him here. The nurse phoned me," rosemary answered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Friday**

It was Friday afternoon. I was in my room on my bed drawing trees. Leo had been in the hospital all week. A knock came on my bedroom door.

"Yeah?" I asked, not really wanting to be disturbed.

"Morgan it's me. Ok I come in?" Eric's voice called.

The pencil skimmed across the page.

"Yeah ok," I replied.

The door opened and closed. My brother came in and sat down on the floor opposite my bed.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Um. Fine," I said.

"Morgan I know how hard this is for you."

"No you don't."

"Yeah I do actually."

The room went quiet.

"One of my ex girlfriends, she..."

The silence hung in the air.

"Morgan dinner!" Mom called from downstairs.

"We'll be right down," Eric returned.

"She what?" I asked.

"Overdosed."

Oh. Wow.

"Who?"

"Do you remember Heather?"

"Um, yeah, vaguely."

She was a girl Eric had dated a few years ago. She'd thought our parents were really cool.

"What about her?" I asked.

"She…." he began.

Then I got it. Heather had overdosed ending her life.

"Wow," I said quietly.

"cmon. Let's go to dinner."


	9. Chapter 9

iIt was later that night and I was over at my friend Kerri's. We were sitting on her bed listening to Janis Joplin. She was smoking. Her parents and brother were out, which was why she could smoke, as they didn't know she smoked. It had grown dark

"So what all happened?" she asked.

"Um, well you know Leo overdosed."

She nodded; "right."

"He's still in the hospital."

"Oh wow."

"Yeah. Apparently, one of Eric's ex girlfriends had overdosed."

"Yeah I know about that. She and my sister were best friends."

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"Had is right."

"Oh."

"Janis had also overdosed."

"Is that why you strip?" i asked.

"Yeah. What'd he take?"

"They won't tell us anything. Well. They haven't told _me_ anything, at least."

"Oh. Hey you know Crystal?" she asked.

"Um.....the girl Eric went out with?"

"Yeah, she had curly hair."

I nodded.

"She also has a daughter. She works with me."

"Oh how's her daughter?"

"She had to give her up."

"Wow."


	10. Chapter 10

It was later that night when I walked into the quiet trailer park. It was cold. The dark sky was clear. I smelled smoke and knew Shawn was around. I sat down on 1 of the 2 front step of his metal trailer. It was uncomfortable, gray cold cement.

I heard footsteps and the smell of smoke neared.

"Oh, hey Morgan," Shawn's voice said from the dark.

I moved over to make room for him on the small step. He sat down, smelling of smoke and cologne.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I like it here."

"Why?"

"Idinno."

"Oh."

"It's not all that comfortable."

"Welcome to my world. You wanna go inside?"

"No. It's so.......um. Still out here."

"Yeah that's why I was out here in the first place."

"Lily comin anytime soon?" I asked, referring to his girlfriend.

Her brother James had broken up with me awhile back.

"Not sure."

"Oh."

"What's wrong?" he asked, after awhile.

He'd gotten to know me over the years, given he was Cory's best friend and knew I never just dropped by.

"Well, Leo overdosed, as you know," I informed him.

"Shit yeah how's he doing?"

"They won't tell us anything."

"Oh."


	11. Chapter 11

**Eric**

It was later that night. My long term girlfriend Linda and I were sitting on the couch in our living room. My arm was around her shoulders, her dark head lodged in one of mine. Morgan had gone to Shawn's, Ashley was at a friend's, Hannah and Josh were upstairs and Mom and Isabella were up in Mom's room. It was quiet in the house.

"I want to help her," I said.

"Who?" Linda asked.

"Morgan."

"Oh. She was really cute when we first met. And honest too. Not a lot of little kids are that honest."

"Yeah I know. Her good friend Leo overdosed."

"Wow, on what?"

"Well, pot and Advil from what the doctors told Rosemary, his mom."

Lindanodded; "mmmhmm. The woman who makes the wonderful bread."

"Right yeah her."

"Does Morgan know this?"

"No and I don't know when I'm going to tell her, or even if I should be the one too. Maybe it should be Rosemary. After all, she's his mother."

"Right. I know you miss Heather."

I smiled in rememberance; "yeah. She always thought my parents were so cool."

Id dated Heather, then Linda, then Linda and I broke up, then Kristen, Vicky and Linda and I got back together again.

"When I talked to her - Morgan, in her room earlier today she said everything was fine."

"But we both know it's not," Linda commented.

"You're right."

"And how's Crystal?"

After Linda and I had gotten back together the second time, we broke up because Crystal had come into the picture. We went to a popular diner where she revealed her parents had kicked her and her 2 year old out.

"I've been putting in more hours at the store in order to help," I answered.

Next to me Linda smiled; "that's so sweet of you."

"You're so cool with this ya know? Most girls wouldnt be."

"Of course."


	12. Chapter 12

We kissed. The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I said getting up off the couch.

I went across the living room where I opened the door to find Irene, the blonde girl I'd dated the summer before I left for college.

"i…..Irene what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Hi Eric. Can I come in?" she asked in her Florida accent.

"Well. Yeah sure. How are ya can I get you anything what….happened to your arms?"

She had bruises on them.

I stepped back holding the door open. She came in. I closed it behind her.

"That's actually why I came to see you."

Linda came up behind me.

"Eric who's this?" she asked.

I turned to her; "oh this is Irene. I dated her a few years ago when Cory and I went on our road trip. Irene this is my girlfriend Linda."

"Hi nice to meet you."

"You too. Can I get you anything?" Linda asked.

"Tea."

"Comin right up."

Linda went into the kitchen.

"So?" I asked as Irene and I walked to the couch and sat.

"Well I'm dating this guy and he. He did this to me. He's not like you Eric. You look at my eyes and not my. Well. You know."

She looked down and smiled in embarrassment.

"Yeah. I know. Wow."

"Can I stay here for a bit?"

"Um well I'd have to ask my parents but…..it's ok with me."

"Thanks."

"Who else knows about this?" I asked.

"No one."

"Oh."

"What's new on your end?"

"I have 3 new siblings, Ashley, josh and Hannah. Josh is the oldest of the 3. He was born a few years ago. He's 15, hannah's 13 and ashley's 11. Did you ever meet my sister Morgan?"

"No I don't think I have."

"Oh. Well her good friend Leo recently overdosed."

"Wow."

"Yeah so it hasn't exactly been paradise here either."

"Yeah but. It's safe here."


	13. Chapter 13

Morgan

It was later that night and Kerri and I were at her place.

"um Morgan," she said looking at me.

I looked at her: "yeah?"

"there's something you should know. It involves Leo."

"ok…" I waited.

"he didn't overdose on pot. Cause you cant overdose on pot. Well I mean you can but not like the same way you do w/ alcohol or pills. He had what's known as green fever. He just got really sick and vomity."

"oh."

"in fact from what Janis has told me pot helps when you're sick."

I was starting to put 2 and 2 together.

"so he must've….."

taken more Advil then we originally though.

"yes. that's right," Kerri confirmed it.

But why?

"but why?" I was upset and shocked.

"well other than he wanted to get out I really don't know."

Oh.

"oh. Um wow."

"yeah. I know. He probably that by doing as much pot as he most likely did he wouldn't get as sick from the Advil."

"oh."


	14. Sierra

I sat there looking down at the bed. I figured if I didn't look at kerri it wouldn't be real. I felt her looking at me.

"are you ok?"

"im just shocked I guess. And. Hurt."

"bc he didn't tell you."

"yeah. Exactly."

"I don't know what to say."

"yeah me either really."

"do you know how long itll be?"

"a couple weeks" kerri answered.

"oh."

The doorbell rang.

"ill get it," kerri said leaving.

"ok."

I heard her go down the hall stairs and into the living room where she opened the door.

"is…is morgan…." I heard sierra ask upset.

"yeah sure. Morgan!" kerri called.

"coming!" I said getting off the bed.

I made my way into the living room where sierra and kerri were. Sierra had fading bruises on her face.

"ill leave you 2 alone," kerri said leaving.

"ok."

"cmon lets go outside," sierra said.

Where it was dark. And cold. I noticed that sierra didn't have a coat w/ her.

"wheres your coat?" I asked.

She looked at me from her sitting position: "ill explain in a minute."

"oh."

I went inside and got a long wool coat from the tall coat tree in the entryway amd brought it outside. I gave it to sierra who put it on. I closed the door behind me and sat next to her.

"you remember james?" she asked.

"james my ex boyfriend james?" I looked at her surprised.

I already had a feeling where this was going and not liking it.

"yeah. He took my coat."

"oh."

"yeah when I ran into him tonight on the way here. And he did this," she indicated her face; "hes been doing it for awhile."

"oh. Does shawn know?"

"yeah he does. Eric doesn't I want to tell him."

"ill come w/ you."

"ok."

I pulled out my phone to see if id gotten a text from eric. I had it told me he was off work and that linda and Irene were at the house. They were his exs. Theyre nice. I texted him back telling him I needed to talk to him and that sierra was with me. He said we could go to a coffee shop.


End file.
